Brighton 2-3 Liverpool: Reds advance in Carabao Cup with Gakpo brace & Díaz goal

Cody Gakpo scored twice to help send holders Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a thrilling victory at Brighton.

After a goalless and largely forgettable first half, Dutch forward Gakpo broke the deadlock a minute after the break in stunning fashion, cutting inside before launching an unstoppable drive into the back of the net.

The goal sparked the game into life and goalkeeper Vítezslav Jaros, making his full debut for the Reds, made a brilliant one-handed save moments later to keep out Simon Adingra's header.

Evan Ferguson then fired over the bar but Liverpool had a golden chance to add a second when the visitors broke three on one, but Gakpo unselfishly decided to pass to Dominik Szoboszlai and his effort was blocked by the recovering Brighton defence.

However, Gakpo was not to be denied his second when a mistake by Tariq Lamptey allowed him to run unchallenged into the box and fire home.

Brighton pushed in the closing stages and got a goal back when a Liverpool defensive mistake was pounced upon and Adingra prodded in to halve the deficit.

That roused the home fans but Luis Diaz made sure of Liverpool's progress when he squeezed in an 81st-minute third, despite a late deflected finish by Lamptey.

The draw for the quarter-finals will be made later on Wednesday evening.

Match Events

46' GOAL! Gakpo right-footed shot to the top right corner! Brighton 0-1 Liverpool

63' GOAL! Brighton 0-2 Liverpool (Cody Gakpo)

81' GOAL! Brighton 1-2 Liverpool (Simon Adingra)

85' GOAL! Brighton 1-3 Liverpool (Luis Díaz)

90' GOAL! Brighton 2-3 Liverpool (Tariq Lamptey)

Line-ups

Brighton XI: Steele, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Igor, Jakub Moder, Tariq Lamptey, Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Julio Enciso, Evan Ferguson, Simon Adingra, Brajan Gruda

Subs: Welbeck, Veltman, Pervis Estupiñán, Kaoru Mitoma, Ed Turns, Bart Verbruggen, Yasin Ayari, Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood

Liverpool XI: W. Endo, Robertson, Joe Gomez, Cody Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Curtis Jones, Vitezslav Jaros, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Tyler Morton

Subs: Salah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Konate, Mac Allister, Darwin Núñez, Trey Nyoni, Ranel Young